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time With fewer expenses, the Morrisons have more time to spend with each other and to pursue their interests. Andrew and Gabriella work from home, and they homeschool Terra. Andrew can head down to the ice rink in town and practice hockey at any time of the day without running into crowds. The same is true for Terra when she wants to go to the local stables and ride her horse. Do the math Whether or not you would consider living in a tiny house, you may find it revealing to determine if the scale of your life matches how you think you live and how you actually live. Taking stock is simply a matter of doing the math and seeing what the numbers mean to you. Monthly mortgage ÷ net monthly income × 100 = % of net income Example based on national average: $1061 ÷ $3269 × 100 = 32% (Banks advise less than 28%) When you consider how much of your time and money go toward housing alone, is that acceptable? Be sure to factor in the rest of your monthly expenses related to your home. Weigh the amount of time you must work to meet those expenses against the amount of time you actually spend at home. Where in your home do you spend your time? What percentage of the home’s square footage does that represent? Is that still acceptable? spring/summer 2015 71